As far as being able to air the BTN in more markets, there is room for the Big Ten to grow. But the name of the game is to pull in more $$$ PER SCHOOL, and we're reaching the law of diminishing returns here.With each addition, you have to drive the viewership divided by the NEW TOTAL NUMBER OF CONF. MEMBERS up, and that's going to become harder to do indefinitely.

Because of the BTN, its not the same profit model as other conference. By adding Rutgers and Maryland they are getting local cable providers in the area of NYC/DC to pick up the Big Ten on the standard package. They've already done the math, and that mean millions of people who have no interest in Big Ten fb will be paying for the network. Its not about how many fans, its about how many total cable/sat subscriber in the population around the school.

UVA would help tie them into the rest of Virginia and nearly garuntees that Balt/DC/suburbs will add it. UNC/Duke would obviously get them on in NC. GT/FSU are a play at the Atlanta/Florida market but is risky as many of the fans South of Virginia care little for Big Ten fb therefor it may not work by just adding the #2 school in the state.

That's why adding Kansas, Iowa St, Oklahoma, Syracuse, and Pitt aren't really being considered at this time. Its not because they are bad schools, its mainly because they have small or duplicated markets (PSU/Pitt, Iowa/ISU, NU/KU).

Adding eyeball getting schools like Nebraska (small market) and a school like ND (duplicate market/Northwestern) is considered because they allow them to universally increase their pricepoint as these game are now in herently more valuable (higher quality).

_________________Fan of the Big 12 Conference, the Mountain West Conference and...

The appeal of the SA's aren't vastly overblown when you consider the sorts who go through them. It's the same logic as wanting UVA when VT is more popular in the state. UVA is a Beltway school. AFA and USNA isn't just for the undergraduate programs...it's who they train at the graduate level that make them more "known:" engineers, doctors, etc. It's who pass through them that make them popular.

The appeal of the SA's aren't vastly overblown when you consider the sorts who go through them. It's the same logic as wanting UVA when VT is more popular in the state. UVA is a Beltway school. AFA and USNA isn't just for the undergraduate programs...it's who they train at the graduate level that make them more "known:" engineers, doctors, etc. It's who pass through them that make them popular.

The service academies do not have graduate programs. Never have. The services all have various post-graduate programs, but none are located at or connected to the academies.

The national appeal of the service academies is vastly overstated on fora. I have worked for the DoD for 32 years and for 23 of them I was TDY most of the year to military bases across the nation and world. The enlisted who make up the bulk of the service personnel don't car much about the academies. Most are fans of schools back home or their own alma maters. Most of the officers are ROTC or OCS and really dislike the academies. Of course, there are exceptions.

I am anything but an AFA hater. I grew up in the region and AFA is one of my favorite teams. The only major college game I have attended was and AFA game. Boy, that was a long time ago. George Mira was the Miami quarterback in that game.

The appeal of the SA's aren't vastly overblown when you consider the sorts who go through them. It's the same logic as wanting UVA when VT is more popular in the state. UVA is a Beltway school. AFA and USNA isn't just for the undergraduate programs...it's who they train at the graduate level that make them more "known:" engineers, doctors, etc. It's who pass through them that make them popular.

The service academies do not have graduate programs. Never have. The services all have various post-graduate programs, but none are located at or connected to the academies.

The national appeal of the service academies is vastly overstated on fora. I have worked for the DoD for 32 years and for 23 of them I was TDY most of the year to military bases across the nation and world. The enlisted who make up the bulk of the service personnel don't car much about the academies. Most are fans of schools back home or their own alma maters. Most of the officers are ROTC or OCS and really dislike the academies. Of course, there are exceptions.

I am anything but an AFA hater. I grew up in the region and AFA is one of my favorite teams. The only major college game I have attended was and AFA game. Boy, that was a long time ago. George Mira was the Miami quarterback in that game.

This reminds me, in 1984 I traveled down from PA to Navy with a friend for the South Carolina--Navy game. We met up with some friends from S.C. and others from elsewhere. Then So. Car. was ranked #2 in the country. On the cold, overcast, windy day, So. Car. got upset by a beforehand, dismal record Navyteam. The #1 team (think it was Nebraska, hard to remember) also lost. Adding to oddity of the late season weekend, a winless Duke team pulled an upset.

The Navy folks in Annaoplis were real friendly. One midshipman from Ohio kept talking about Ohio State and was a huge fan of OSU. It has stuck with me till this day, he was not focused on what Navy could achieve, and his passion was with Ohio State. So, being a strong fan of a school "back home" does have merit.

Of course, folks want to identify with winners, and passion for the "home" teams that have been a part of their culture and exposure is natural. Institutional types and where their student come from and their focus, does impact. That noted, the SA's are associated with national pride for many, and would have significant value for certain conferences--perhaps outside the big power ones. So much depends on developing a decent reputation for winning, and how TV/media shall market it.

So the Big 10 expects them to pay at least that much and likely more. Sounds like they think Maryland is gonna get stuck with the majority of that 50 million exit fee. I don't see them offering that deal to another 2-4 schools.

So the Big 10 expects them to pay at least that much and likely more. Sounds like they think Maryland is gonna get stuck with the majority of that 50 million exit fee. I don't see them offering that deal to another 2-4 schools.

It raises a lot of questions...

Is UMD going to be on the losing end of this lawsuit?Was this something UMD brought to the table as a condition for membership?How much money will UMD lose over the next couple of years because of this change?How close were other sports to being cut at UMD?Will UMD be the most southeastern school in the Big Ten?

The last question is the one that I am most curious in learning. I don't believe there is a subsidy if there's another ACC school in the pipeline, as the potential cluster with PSU and RU would certainly ease things. I'll say it until it's embraced as gospel truth by all that for any potential ACC defections, those schools withdraw themselves from the suit. If they don't before some sort of judgement, there will be no further ACC school absorption, unless they personally pay UMD/B1G upon entry.

I think that may mean it's a fourteen-school conference, or the B1G is moving west for #15 and #16.

So the Big 10 expects them to pay at least that much and likely more. Sounds like they think Maryland is gonna get stuck with the majority of that 50 million exit fee. I don't see them offering that deal to another 2-4 schools.

It raises a lot of questions...

Is UMD going to be on the losing end of this lawsuit?Was this something UMD brought to the table as a condition for membership?How much money will UMD lose over the next couple of years because of this change?How close were other sports to being cut at UMD?Will UMD be the most southeastern school in the Big Ten?

The last question is the one that I am most curious in learning. I don't believe there is a subsidy if there's another ACC school in the pipeline, as the potential cluster with PSU and RU would certainly ease things. I'll say it until it's embraced as gospel truth by all that for any potential ACC defections, those schools withdraw themselves from the suit. If they don't before some sort of judgement, there will be no further ACC school absorption, unless they personally pay UMD/B1G upon entry.

I think that may mean it's a fourteen-school conference, or the B1G is moving west for #15 and #16.

Good questions, TBC & SJSUfan. I tend to believe the B1G's goal here is to incorporate Maryland (with Rutgers) per the B1G's timeline, and help dispose of outstandanding issues regarding the transition, including the fiscal factors. They are also working on the finishing touches for the revised divisional structures, and such directly relates. I doubt the motive is focused on additional, new ACC aquisitions for now. Also, the B1G and Maryland knew beforehand the ACC would react bitterly and try to enforce the 52 million or so exit fee. The B1G & Maryland certainly discussed this, and the B1G may have given Maryland certain assurances (call it a travel line item) to go ahead with the move. In this sense, it would be unique.

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